ABSTRACT
The study was initiated with the objectives of exploring what institutional arrangements might be made for the wider implementation of FPR and what the scope for closer NGO–GO interaction might be in such arrangements. Historically, the study evolved from a review conducted by the Agricultural Research and Extension Network of the Overseas Development Institute of FPR methods (Farrington and Martin 1987) as a background paper for the 1987 conference ‘Farmers and agricultural research: complementary methods’ from which the book Farmer First emerged (Chambers et al. 1989). Over 100 experiences – largely unpublished – of FPR were reviewed, most of which derived from the work of NGOs, others being conducted by university teams or by special donor-funded projects. Very little FPR experience appeared to have been gained by government research organizations. These early observations suggested that GOs may not have the capacity – even if they had the inclination – to establish on anything more than a pilot scale the close contacts with local communities necessary for FPR methods to succeed.
